


Counterpart Cousins

by PetildaFan



Series: Arc-V Epilogue Series [5]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: Canon - Anime Dub, Family Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-07
Updated: 2017-12-06
Packaged: 2019-02-11 15:43:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12938463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PetildaFan/pseuds/PetildaFan
Summary: When Yuto discovers his connections to the Sakaki family, his once-bleak and lonely life becomes a lot brighter. A series of Yuya and Yuto familial fluff oneshots based on the Arc-V Aftermath series. Co-written with Violetganache42 from Tumblr.





	1. Dance Lessons: Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yuya needs help with an upcoming school dance, so he asks Yuto for some much-needed pointers.
> 
> Chapter Setting: Takes place between Chapters 17 and 18 of Arc-V Aftermath.

One day, in the newly-revived Heartland section of the mashed-up unnamed city, Yuto Osaku was working out in the Obsidians’ gymnasium. Ever since he and his counterparts split, he began a new chapter in his life; he started working for the family’s company ObsidianCorp and has been living with his girlfriend Lulu and her older brother Shay. After accepting the job offer of being in charge of the company’s new dueling branch and getting hired right off the bat, he has been adjusting to living in a high-class environment since he was born a middle-class civilian.

Today, he wasn’t at work today because his schedule assigned him not to work on weekends, so what better way to spend the hour by gaining some muscle. He obviously isn’t buff, but dealing with the Invasion helped make him a bit buffer than all of his counterparts combined. Lulu doesn’t mind though; it was one of the many qualities she admired about him.

As he was doing some push-ups, a knock on the door was heard and a robotic voice wanted to tell him something important. “MASTER Y-YUTO, THERE IS A PHONE CALL FOR YOU.”

“Who is it, Orbital?” Yuto asked.

“YUYA SAKAKI,” Orbital answered.

Yuya? Why would his cousin want to talk to him? Was there something important he wants to discuss? “You can come in,” Yuto said as he completed his last push-up and got back on his feet.

“YOU HAVE COMPLETE 32 PUSH-UPS,” a robotic coach stated. “THAT IS A NEW RECORD.”

“Thanks for the update,” Yuto said after taking a sip from a bottle of water. “What’s my update for weight lifting?”

“YOUR CURRENT WEIGHT LIFTING RECORD IS 3 POUNDS,” the robotic coach answered.

Yuto chuckled. “I can do better than that,” he said, wanting to beat Shay’s record. “Add two more pounds.”

“VERY WELL, MASTER YUTO,” the robotic coach replied.

As the door opened, Orbital wheeled towards Yuto to hand him the phone as the robotic coach went over to where the weights were to make the total weights five pounds. “Hey Yuya,” Yuto spoke into the phone. “What do you-”

“TEACH ME HOW TO DANCE!”

The sudden outburst scared Yuto, causing him to almost drop the phone. As he managed to catch it before it fell onto the floor, he wondered what was wrong with Yuya and why on earth he wanted to learn how to dance. Whatever the reason, he sounded pretty nervous.

“Calm down,” Yuto said. “What’s going on?”

“It’s Zuzu!” Yuya exclaimed, still panicking. “There’s a school dance in a few days, I asked her out, and I realized I DON’T KNOW HOW TO DANCE!”

Yuto chuckled. “Yuya, you already know how to dance,” he pointed out.

“Not with a girl!” Yuya cried out. “I need you to teach me how to dance like how you dance with Lulu!”

The frantic teen remembered his cousin telling him and their counterparts one morning about the Heartland Duel School dance and he has a good visual of how romantic it must have been for the couple. The only problem is he wasn’t there to fully experience it first hand to get an understanding of how to formally dance because he didn’t knew about the other dimensions at the time.

“So you want me to teach you how to formally dance?” Yuto asked.

“Yes!” Yuya exclaimed.

“Alright,” Yuto said. “I’ll come over.”

“Thank you!” Yuya said.

Yuto hung out the phone and gave it back to the head robo-butler. “Orbital, ask Mr. Obsidian if you could borrow the family car,” the eggplant-haired teen ordered. “I need you to escort me to the Sakaki residence.”

“BUT MASTER Y-YUTO, YOU ARE NOT SUITED FOR VISITING YUYA SAKAKI,” Orbital pointed out.

Yuto looked down at the gym clothes he was wearing to see they were drenched in sweat. It seemed Orbital was right about him being unsuitable for a visit. He then altered the instructions to ask Kameron about borrowing the family car to see Yuya while he takes a shower. Once he was done, he’ll know if was given permission to do so by then. The robo-butler understood the declaration loud and clear as the two departed through the gym doors.

“SHOULD I PROVIDE YOU WITH FRESH CLOTHES FOR YOU TO WEAR AFTER YOUR SHOWER?” Orbital asked.

“Of course,” Yuto answered. “Go get one of my more casual outfits.”

“YES SIR, MASTER Y-YUTO,” Orbital replied with a salute.

As the two headed upstairs, they parted ways: Yuto going to Lulu’s private bathroom to shower and Orbital searching the house where Kameron was and where he last saw him.

Lulu was experimenting with new ways to style her long hair when Yuto entered her bedroom. “Hey there, handsome,” she casually said, her gaze never leaving her vanity mirror. “How was your workout?”

“I had to end it early,” Yuto answered, blushing slightly at his girlfriend’s compliment. “Yuya wants me to teach him how to dance.”

“How cute!” Lulu remarked as she started brushing her hair. “You could use some cousin bonding.”

Yuto knew what she meant by “cousin bonding”. The Sakakis were the only people left in his family tree: Yusho, Yoko, Yuya, and Sora (who was adopted by Yoko not long ago). He still couldn’t believe that he had been going against the Fusion Dimension alongside his own cousin all this time and didn’t realize it until after he got the job of running the dueling branch at ObsidianCorp. It also explained why Yoko reminded him of his mother Lono. This new connection, without a doubt, changed his life and he actually did want to find the time to bond with Yuya now that the Interdimensional War was over. Since he doesn’t have work, why not today?

“You’re actually right,” Yuto told Lulu. “I spent a lot of time with Yuya, but I never really got to know him. Maybe some bonding could help.” He walked over to Lulu to kiss her cheek. “By the way, you look cute with pigtails.”

Lulu giggled and thanked her boyfriend for the compliment. The last time she wore pigtails was before Lono’s funeral and when he was practicing his Skill for the Team Duel Tournament. It was one of the many hairstyles she learned how to do while she was practicing on how to properly maintain long hair.

“You don’t look so bad yourself,” Lulu complimented as she proceeded to tie her hair up in pigtails with her feather-shaped hair clips, glancing at Yuto through her mirror. “The t-shirt and shorts you’re wearing nicely show off your muscles.”

Yuto smirked after hearing those words and looking at his reflection. It may be a time of peace, but he still has his ego. At this point, he’s gotten used to the comments of how certain features of him look nice. “I guess that Invasion proved to be a bit useful,” he remarked, flexing his arm.

This was one of Yuto’s many ways of flirting with Lulu because he knows how much she loves his slightly muscular body. And sure enough, she was blushing heavily and smiling wide. “We have plenty of time together this evening,” she informed. “You said you’ll help Yuya learn how to dance, remember?”

“Of course,” Yuto replied. “But as a preview for tonight…” He proceeded to take off his t-shirt before heading into the bathroom, leaving his girlfriend in stunned silence.

Several minutes later, Orbital entered the bedroom with a pile of clean clothes just as Yuto was almost done with his shower. “Hi Orbital,” Lulu said, testing new lipstick shades.

“HELLO MISTRESS L-LULU,” Orbital greeted. “LILLYBOT IS ALMOST DONE WITH HER MONTHLY MAINTENANCE CHECK.”

“Thanks Orbital,” Lulu said. She glanced at what Orbital was carrying. “Fresh clothes for Yuto?”

“JUST LIKE HE ORDERED,” Orbital replied. “I ALSO WISH TO INFORM YOU THAT THE WEDDING PREPARATIONS FOR YOURS AND MASTER Y-YUTO’S WEDDING ARE-”

“Activate Protocol TBA-.09,” Lulu interrupted, feeling embarrassed.

Protocol TBA-.09 was a special program made to have any discussions regarding the early wedding preparations interrupted. Lulu installed it in all the house robots, including Lillybot and Orbital, because the thought of focusing on those plans was embarrassing, especially at an age as young as 14 years old. Why else would it include the acronym TBA in the first place?

“MY APOLOGIES, MISTRESS L-LULU,” Orbital said. “BUT YOUR FATHER WAS SO INSISTENT. HE AND YOUR MOTHER ARE HAPPY THAT YOU CHOSE A SUITOR FOR YOURSELF.”

“I know,” Lulu said, letting out a loving sigh. “Yuto is cute and perfect, a true blessing.”

At that moment, it sounded like the shower was turned off. “Orbital, if you’re already here, I want to tell you that I’m done,” Yuto said from behind the bathroom door.

“SHALL I GIVE YOU YOUR CLOTHES?” Orbital asked.

The door cracked open. “Just leave them near the door,” Yuto answered.

“YES SIR, MASTER Y-YUTO,” Orbital replied with a salute.

Orbital placed the clothes near the door so that Yuto can get some privacy while drying off. They consisted of a dark red t-shirt and dark denim jeans, alongside his dog collar and silver-studded black wristbands. He kept his wristbands and dog collar with him after he got his body back whenever he wants to dress casual, such as today.

Yuto picked up the provided clothes. “Not bad,” he commented from inside the bathroom. “Orbital, I want you to also retrieve my black sneakers.”

“YES SIR, MASTER Y-YUTO,” Orbital replied with a salute.

With the clothes in his hands, Yuto closed the bathroom door to dry off and get dressed. His usual routine when it comes to getting clean after showering involves him rubbing off the water from his body with his towel and using a hairdryer to blow dry and brush his spiky, eggplant-colored hair due to him having thicker and longer hair than his counterparts. Once he was no longer wet and damp, he put on the provided clothes for the day and not forgetting to wear the light gray glasses he received on the night of the LID dance. He smirked at his reflection as he put on his dog collar and wristbands, happy with his look.

The bathroom door opened as he stepped into Lulu’s bedroom, clean and dressed to visit Yuya. Of course, Lulu was impressed. “Not bad,” she said, looking at Yuto through her mirror. “You look pretty cute.”

“Not as cute as you,” Yuto replied, noting that his girlfriend’s hair was done in long pigtails.

“I appreciate the compliment, but you do have to visit Yuya,” Lulu pointed out.

“Of course,” Yuto said. “Orbital, did you speak to Mr. Obsidian?”

“HE IS OKAY WITH ME DRIVING YOU TO THE SAKAKI RESIDENCE,” Orbital reported.

“Good,” Yuto said. He looked back at Lulu, who was trying to choose between two shades of lipstick. “Go with pale pink lipstick,” he advised. “Bright red probably won’t look good on you.”

Lulu realized he was right; bright red wasn’t the kind of lipstick to wear on non-formal days. She thanked him for the tip before he left the bedroom with Orbital.

“MASTER Y-YUTO, YOU SAID YUYA SAKAKI IS YOUR COUSIN,” Orbital said, giving Yuto his black sneakers. “BUT YOUR TWO LOOK SO SIMILAR. ARE YOU SURE YOU ARE NOT TWINS?”

“It’s kind of complicated,” Yuto admitted as he put on his shoes. “But long story short, my mom happened to be Yuya’s aunt.”

“OF COURSE,” Orbital said. “THAT WOULD EXPLAIN THE SIMILAR FACES AND VOICES.”

Once they were outside, two opened the front doors, with Orbital obviously in the driver’s seat and Yuto riding shotgun. The robo-butler extended his body in order for him to drive; it was part of his program to do so whenever Shay or Lulu needed a lift. After buckling their seatbelts, Yuto gave out instructions to head to Yuya’s house for the former to program them in.

“MASTER Y-YUTO, ACCORDING TO MY DATABANKS, YUYA SAKAKI NEVER HAD AN AUNT,” Orbital realized as he drove.

“Our moms were separated when the four dimensions were created,” Yuto explained. “Aunt Yoko was in the Standard Dimension, while my mom was in the XYZ Dimension. It wasn’t until recently that Yuya noticed my last name is the exact same as his mom’s maiden name.”

“I SEE,” Orbital said. “IS THAT WHY YOU AND YUYA SAKAKI ARE COUSINS?”

“Pretty much,” Yuto answered.

Some time later, they arrived at the Sakaki residence as Orbital parked in front of the house. Yuto unbuckled his seatbelt and exited the car to head inside, only for him to be greeted by Yoko.

“Hi Yuto,” Yoko said, letting the XYZ Duelist enter the house. “Yuya is currently in his room.”

“Thanks Aunt Yoko,” Yuto said. Needless to say, it still felt weird calling her ‘aunt’.

Yuto then headed upstairs to Yuya’s bedroom, where he saw his tomato-haired cousin sitting on his bed with a huge pile of books. “Yuya?” he asked, perplexed. “What’s with all the books?”

Yuya held up the book he was currently reading, which was called 'Dancing for Clueless Idiots’. “I got these from the local library,” he explained. “But I don’t think they’re helping.”

“Of course they’re not helping,” Yuto said. “You can’t learn how to dance by reading. You need to picture it.”

“Picture it?” Yuya asked

Yuto nodded in response. “Just imagine it,” he said, taking the book out of Yuya’s hand and setting it aside. “You’re at the Paradise Prep school dance. You arrived late, but across the room, you see a beautiful princess.”

Yuya closed his eyes to imagine himself overdue in entering his school for the dance. In his mind, he donned his tuxedo that Yusho used to wear when he was younger because he planned on wearing it in a few days. Just as he was about to take a look at his surroundings, he caught a glimpse of this princess that Yuto mentioned. She had pink hair that reached past her shoulders with short, light pink side tails; no doubt he pictured Zuzu.

“Zuzu…” Yuya said.

“You have seen this princess before, but not like this,” Yuto said. “She looks too beautiful, causing your heartbeat to increase. You can’t believe a princess like her would even consider a guy like you. But regardless of your past, you walk over to her, hypnotized by her radiant beauty.”

The words coming out of Yuto’s mouth came into a reality in Yuya’s head as he walked to where she was while left speechless and dazed at how beautiful she looked. He soon found himself standing right in front of her.

“Wow…” Yuya said. “You look amazing.”

“Thanks Yuya,” Zuzu replied, smiling softly. “You don’t look so bad either.”

“Suddenly, music starts playing,” Yuto said. “But not just any music. It’s softer music, perfect for a romantic dance.”

Sure enough, romantic music began its melody as it echoed throughout the entire gymnasium. That could only mean one thing: it was time for people to start dancing, but the question was will Yuya be able to dance with a girl.

He looked at Zuzu. Taking a deep breath, he held out his hand. “Do you… Do you…”

Yuto let out a frustrated sigh. “Stop hesitating,” he said. “It will only make you look nervous. Be more confident and know you can do it.”

Yuya was the kind of person to not have a lot of confidence in certain aspects. Getting cornered in duels, coping with his odd-eyed colors on his irises, and now formal dancing. Whatever the situation is that intends to break his confidence, he was bound to be hesitant. He has been able to gain a confidence boost as he travelled with the Lancers across dimensions, so hopefully it’ll come to good use in his vision.

“Alright,” Yuya said. “Zuzu Boyle, do you want to dance with me?”

Zuzu’s smile became brighter. “Of course, Yuya,” she said, accepting his hand.

The moment the two held hands, Yuya could physically feel Zuzu’s hand even though it was only an imagination. But the touch felt a bit off…

“You escort her to the dance floor, your hand never leaving hers,” Yuto said. “Once you arrive at the dance floor, you get into position as you place your other hand on her waist and she places her other hand on your shoulder.”

The vision repeated exactly what Yuto said as Yuya and Zuzu accompanied each other to the dance floor and placed their free hands on the latter’s waist and the former’s shoulder. Their contact still felt different yet he couldn’t determine why.

“You and the princess gently move to the music,” Yuto said. “You hold her very gently as your dance with her, almost as if she’s a porcelain doll, your gaze never leaving her beautiful eyes.”

Yuya knew Zuzu was more spunky and short-tempered than delicate while they danced slowly. Could this be the unusual feeling he was just experiencing?

“Then it hits you,” Yuto said. “Out of all the guys in the city, why you? Why would this beautiful, elegant princess fall for you? You’re nothing more than a commoner, so why-”

“We’re not talking about Lulu,” Yuya interrupted.

Yuto immediately caught on what his cousin was saying. His dating experience involved Lulu, and given that she and Zuzu look alike due to them being Ray’s reincarnations, he thought they were the same. But seriously, can you blame him? He met her in person several times before the Arc League Championship and she reminded him of his girlfriend.

“But you still shouldn’t be too rough,” Yuto pointed out. “Even if a girl isn’t a princess, they deserve to be treated like one during these moments.”

He wasn’t wrong. Even the toughest females can reveal their softest, gentlest, and princess-like selves if given the right amount of treatment from the males, and Zuzu was no exception.

“So… I heard you-” Yuya started to say.

“Please be quiet,” Yuto said. “Talking will only ruin the mood.”

Yuya quickly shut his lips after Yuto was done talking. He wondered what the next part of the dance lessons were going to be.

“As you embrace in the dance, you can’t help but be amazed as the beautiful princess,” Yuto continued. “There’s even a point in which she displays a bit of affection.”

Yuya resumed imagining himself and Zuzu dancing, only this time, it appeared he was a natural at it. His expectations have been achieving much greater heights than he initially thought; he was amazed at how well his imaginary self was doing. As they waltzed across the floor, his childhood friend ruffled his soft, fluffy, tomato-colored hair as a sign of affection. Much like with the hand-holding, he felt his hair getting disheveled outside of his mind.

“Are you sure that’s something Lulu would do?” Yuya asked.

“Of course,” Yuto admitted. “And you did say Zuzu likes your hair.”

Yuya grinned. "Well yeah,” he answered. “She thinks it’s my best feature. She’s always touching it when we kiss or cuddle.”

It was a no-brainer that he knows she loves his hair. Sure, it may not be as elaborately-styled as his counterparts, but it still managed to preserve its perfectly-coiffed appearance, even if it did look somewhat feminine to a few people, which makes it an admirable trait of his for her.

Yuto chuckled at his cousin’s happiness. “But calm down,” he said. “You need to stop getting excited. You’re supposed to stay calm during these events.”

“Right,” Yuya said. He took a deep breath. “Stay calm. I can do that.”

Once he relaxed, he continued picturing the scenario that Yuto was describing. “I think I know what happens next,” Yuya said as the dance came to an end. “There’s gonna be a moment when the lights shine just right.”

“Uh, Yuya?” Zuzu asked.

“And those lights will make her beautiful eyes sparkle,” Yuya said, shifting his hand from her own hand to her cheek.

“Yuya…?” Zuzu asked, sounding concerned.

“Then we lean in,” Yuya continued, his eyes fluttering shut as he leaned in. “And we share a loving-”

“Yuya!”

THUD!

Yuya was snapped out of his fantasy and found himself on the bedroom floor. He shifted his head up to see that Yuto had shoved him onto the floor because _he_ was now getting carried away. “What just happened?” Yuya asked.

Yuto simply groaned as he pressed his fingers against his forehead. “Do I have to remind you that we’re the same person?” he asked.

“I don’t get it,” Yuya said as he stood back up. “You told me to picture it, so I did.”

“Exactly,” Yuto said. “You imagined a little too much.”

Yuto’s intention was to guide Yuya on dancing in formal events, but it may have worked a tad bit too well regarding on how it just went down. Despite that, does his cousin now have a general idea on formally dancing with girls?

Yuya’s eyes widened. “Wait… That was you?!” he asked, alarmed.

“Yes, I was guiding you on how to dance,” Yuto clarified. “I told you to picture the night of the dance so it would feel less weird to you.”

“That means I…” Yuya said. He cringed a bit, realizing that what he thought was Zuzu in his mind was actually Yuto. “That would explain why it felt weird.”

Yuto nodded in response, which was his way of admitting that it felt rather awkward to him as well when he thought about it. “So do you have an idea of how to dance with a girl?” he asked.

“I think so,” Yuya admitted. “But your hands feel too smooth.”

Yuto wasn’t a Dueltainer in his hometown, so his hands weren’t as rough as Yuya’s and Zuzu’s. He also was given access to the Obsidians’ expensive body and hand lotion when he first moved in with them; with the accepted job offer and his first formal party in mind, it was another sign that he was still adapting to high-class life.

“My hands aren’t too smooth,” Yuto said. “Your hands are too rough.”

“Because I use them a lot,” Yuya explained. “But aside from that, I think I got the hang of it.”

“Good,” Yuto said, smiling in satisfaction. “Now to work on your appearance…”

Yuya questioned why he should focus on his appearance because he looked fine, but was told that the Paradise Prep dance was a formal event and there was no way he was attending it with his goggles on his head. He replied that he took those off for Lono’s funeral and he knew how everyone always dressed in black for funerals because black symbolized death; in other words, the upcoming dance has no death symbolism.

“Because for a formal event, wearing goggles isn’t appropriate,” Yuto explained as he took off Yuya’s goggles.

Yuya’s head suddenly felt bare to him. He has worn those goggles ever since he was only 6 years old. It was practically a trademark to him and the light blue star on the right lens helps others identify him…along with his red and green hair and matching eyes. They also have been a coping mechanism of his to give him reassurance and regained confidence. Why else does he constantly wear them on his head? What if something goes terribly wrong at the dance and he doesn’t have them?

Yuto did a double take. “Then again, you might need more work done,” he realized.

“But I was planning on wearing my dad’s old tux,” Yuya explained.

Yuto let out a soft chuckle. “Shay is the only person I know who can pull off tuxes for formal events,” he said. “You’re going to have to come back to the Obsidians residence with me.”


	2. Dance Lessons: Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Yuya receives dance lessons from Yuto, the two head over to the Obsidian residence for dress prep. However, Yuya is too surprised by Yuto's new living conditions...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Setting: Takes place between Chapters 17 and 18 of Arc-V Aftermath.

Yuya has never been to Shay and Lulu’s house before; he was aware that his cousin lives there, yet he hasn’t seen it in person. He has been occasionally wondering what it might look like for the past weeks. Yuto reminded him that Orbital was still parked outside of the house, specifically in the driveway, so he’ll take them back to Heartland. With Yuya’s face expressing glee, he grabbed his shoes and quickly put them on as the two headed downstairs and informed Yoko of where they’ll be going. She told her son to be back before dinner before seeing them leaving the house, forming a smile on her face knowing they’re spending time together as cousins.

“What’s it like living in a fancy place?” Yuya asked. “Are there peacocks in a garden?”

“It’s nothing special,” Yuto answered. “It’s big, but not too big. The only main differences are that the rooms are more elegant in design and there are countless robot servants all over the place.”

“That would explain the robot driving the car,” Yuya commented.

“GREETINGS YUYA SAKAKI,” Orbital said. “MY NAME IS ORBITAL 7. I AM THE OBSIDIANS’ HEAD BUTLER.”

Yuya waved “Hello” at Orbital as he was notified on how rich and elite people can afford robot servants, with the Obsidians being an example. He did remember something about the amount of money Shay and Lulu’s parents made from their successful corporation—which was sponsoring the Team Duel Tournament—prior to the Invasion; many special events that occurred in Heartland were presented by ObsidianCorp and this one was unique because the familial wealth was in danger despite the company being fully restored, making this a useful tactic to regaining any lost profits.

Orbital had already gathered what Yuto and Yuya were talking about after they got into the car, meaning it was time to go. He shifted the car in reverse to back out of the driveway before changing it to drive and heading down the street to the Obsidian residence within the section of Heartland City.

“Why are you taking me over to your place?” Yuya asked.

“For suit measurements,” Yuto explained. “The Obsidians have a lot of rooms for whenever they need to maintain their perfect image.”

Yuya was baffled by that term. “Perfect image…?”

“I don’t get it either,” Yuto admitted. “But apparently being an Obsidian requires them to look their best all the time. Shay and Lulu can probably explain it better than I can.”

A perplexed Yuya couldn’t believe that there are families that have to sustain this “perfect image” everyday, even if there are no special events taking place. Then again, it would also explain why Yuto has subtle yet noticable differences, aside from the glasses. His hair looked softer, his skin felt smoother, and even the way he now spoke was very similar to Shay and Lulu’s semi-formal dialect.

“You do realize you’re not an Obsidian, right?” Yuya asked.

“Not yet,” Yuto clarified. “Mr. and Mrs. Obsidian have made wedding plans for when I marry Lulu. They want me to get used to living in an elite environment, so I have been taking special lessons.”

Special lessons? There are lessons involved in looking your best? Yuya grew surprised as he asked himself those questions. “So they tell you how to dress and act?” he asked.

“Sort of,” Yuto answered. “Shay and Lulu also took similar lessons when they were growing up. It’s so I would know what to expect in an elite environment once I’m married into the family.”

He further explained on how he had trouble with getting used to living a wealthy lifestyle because he was born a commoner. He never worried about his appearance while growing up before moving in to live with them. Yuto did learn to have a clean look due to his noble behavior, but that was it. He didn’t worry about getting his clothes stained or ripped. After dealing with Duel Academy’s sudden Invasion and going through the Interdimensional War, he has gotten rather used to wearing tattered clothing, especially considering what happened with his rental suit. So with that in mind, suddenly having to worry about maintaining a perfect image initially felt weird.

“Was it easy to adjust?” Yuya asked.

“Not at first,” Yuto admitted. “I had to use a lint roller and they didn’t even have the type of shampoo I usually used.”

He never forgot that day; trying to deal with a flatter-than-usual hairstyle was a hassle on its own, but the bangs were the most difficult because they kept blocking his eyes and he had to push them behind his ears to keep them in place. Fortunately, Kameron bought a shampoo brand called Thick and Spiky for him. It was a more expensive version of Spike and Curl without any damaging oils, so Yuto has used that brand ever since. As the cousins conversed with each other, Orbital drove up in front of the gate.

“HERE WE ARE, MASTER Y-YUTO AND YUYA SAKAKI,” Orbital said, pressing a button on the steering wheel. “THE OBSIDIAN RESIDENCE.”

The pressed button resulted in the front gate opening, allowing them to enter. As Orbital drove up to the house, Yuya was astonished at how everything looked; the huge front yard had a mowed lawn and well-trimmed hedges, but what really caught his eye was how large the house was. It wasn’t as big as a mansion, but bigger than a regular house, much like how Yuto described it. It was hard to believe that his own cousin lives in something as amazing as this.

“Whoa…” Yuya said, noticing the robots that were maintaining the lawn and hedges. “This place looks pretty fancy.”

For someone who’s never been to the Obsidians’ house, let alone visit an expensive and large house, it was breathtaking to him. The car then parked in front of the tall doorway, and as the three exited it, Yuya couldn’t stop staring at how gigantic the doors were.

“ALLOW ME, MASTER Y-YUTO,” Orbital said, then he opened the doors.

Yuto and Yuya walked into the house, with the Performapal user getting more starry-eyed at how beautifully elegant the place was. He saw more robot maids roaming through the halls to tend and keep everything clean.

“WELCOME HOME, MASTER YUTO,” a robot maid with a vacuum cleaner said. “YOUR MONTHLY HAIR APPOINTMENT IS IN TWO DAYS.”

“Thanks for the heads up,” Yuto replied.

“All of these robots actually respond to you?” Yuya asked.

“All of the robots in the household obey everyone who lives here,” Yuto explained. “Even me.”

Yuya was intrigued by the thought of robots taking care of houses and he kind of wished he was born in an elite environment. But before he could continue with his thoughts, Yuto gave a hand gesture to indicate to follow him upstairs. The former quickly caught up with him, and as they walked through the second floor, he marveled at every detail of the halls and glimpsed at what some of the rooms were; he even pondered on the probability of a dueling room somewhere.  Pretty soon, they stopped at the tailor room so that suit measurements can be noted.

“HELLO MASTER YUTO,” a robot maid in the room said. “ARE YOU HERE FOR SUIT ADJUSTMENTS?”

“Not today,” Yuto answered. “My cousin needs a new suit for an upcoming school dance.”

The robot maid looked at Yuya. “MY GOD, THAT LOOKS ATROCIOUS,” she said, grabbing the tomato-haired teen by the arm. “YOU NEED A FULL-BODY MAKEOVER.”

Atrocious?! That was a little too extreme to say about his outfit because he was dressed more casual than the Obsidians. “What?!” Yuya yelped.

“Relax,” Yuto said. “These robots had the same reaction when they first saw me.”

He recalled on the first day he moved in, which was the day after Leo’s separation procedure; when Shay and Lulu introduced him to one of the robot maids, it took him over to the family spa room to give him a full-body makeover, surprising him in the process. He wore his pre-Invasion outfit and what he wore apparently led him to getting some… “much-needed pampering”. He was treated with a warm bath with a few essential oils, a masculine manicure (similar to a regular manicure but without the nail polish), and a massage. Although it did feel nice, he had some difficulty deducing what was going on and why they were indulging him in spa treatments.

“So they’re gonna give me spa treatments?!” Yuya asked.

“Not just spa treatments,” Yuto explained. “Afterwards, they’re going to work on your hair, face, and clothes.”

“WHAT?!” Yuya asked. “But the dance isn’t for a few days!”

How was he going to get out of this? He was here to get measurements for his suit, not receive a makeover. Unfortunately, much to his dismay, the robot maid dragged him out of the tailor room and into the spa room to carry out the procedure, regardless of his protests.

“Relax,” Yuto said as he followed his cousin. “Struggling will only make things worse.”

Yuya reluctantly stopped trying to break free from the robo-maid’s grasp as they headed down the hallway. A couple minutes later, the boys spotted Shay approaching the salon room for a trim as part of his monthly hair appointment. “Yuya?” the older heir asked. “What are you doing here?”

“THIS BOY LOOKS ATROCIOUS,” the robot maid answered. “HE NEEDS A FULL-BODY MAKEOVER.”

“Help!” Yuya cried out.

“Sorry Yuya,” Shay said. “Once the robots see an unkempt person, they won’t stop until that person is dressed appropriately.”

“Seriously?!” Yuya asked. “The school dance isn’t for a few days! I can’t get ready this early!”

Shay chuckled. “Fine,” he said amusingly. “Activate Protocol NF-432.”

The robot maid obeyed the command and let go of Yuya from her grasp. As he rubbed on the area where his arm was held on to, he wondered how the Obsidians even lived with them. Yuto explained how Protocol NF-432 was a recent program installed not long after he moved in because they wanted to make sure something like what just occurred doesn’t happen to anyone if they’re stopping by for a visit.

“He’s half-right,” Shay said, looking a bit embarrassed. “I originally installed that protocol when I was younger.”

Yuya was in disbelief. “You?” he asked. “But you seem to like this kind of environment. Why would you install that kind of protocol?”

“It might be hard to believe, but when I was younger, I wasn’t as civilized as I am now,” Shay explained. “I wanted to hang out with normal kids and be a normal boy, so I created that protocol to avoid unneeded grooming and pampering. Ultimately I got rid of those childlike mannerisms and grew up. Mother and father uninstalled my protocol around that time, but when Yuto moved in, the protocol was reinstalled.”

Yuya was admittedly glad that Shay created that protocol because the last thing he needed was to look dashing days before the night of the school dance. Maybe the thought of having robot maids around the house was a bit too much for him to handle.

“So what brings you here, Yuya?” Shay asked.

“I brought him here,” Yuto answered. “He was thinking about wearing his dad’s old tuxedo for a school dance.”

Shay remembered seeing Yuya wear that same tux for Lono’s funeral. “Then you came to the right place,” the older heir said. “I’ll teach you how to look nice for a basic school dance.”

“Uh…” Yuya stammered.

“Relax,” Yuto said. “I told you Shay and Lulu can explain what it means to have a perfect image.”

The three headed into the salon room for Yuya’s lesson; consequently, Shay’s monthly hair appointment will be postponed for an hour, but he didn’t mind. Unfortunately, the robot maid in the salon room _did_ mind.

“WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG, MASTER SHAY?” the robot maid demanded. “YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE HERE EXACTLY THREE MINUTES AGO.”

“I apologize, but I’m going to have to postpone my appointment for an hour,” Shay explained. “For now, this guest needs some fashion tips.”

As the robot maid looked at Yuya, Shay quickly activated his protocol, much to the tomato-haired teen’s relief. “Thanks Shay,” he said.

“No problem,” Shay answered. “Now first of all, how often do you comb your hair?”

“Not very often,” Yuya admitted. He rubbed the back of his head. “Only to untangle any snarls.”

“Then there’s your problem,” Shay said. “Your hair looks too unkempt. For a formal setting, you need to make sure it’s properly smoothed out.”

“What about Yuto?” Yuya asked. “His hair looks too spiky.”

“That’s different,” Yuto explained. “My hair is much thicker than Shay’s.” He further mentioned on how thicker hair results in spikier hairstyles.

“So if you could just sit in the chair, we can get started,” Shay said.

Yuya sat in the provided chair in the room. “Now what?” he asked.

“Now we just need to find the right look,” Shay answered. “Luckily the robot maid was programmed to know a lot of different hairstyles, so she’ll be able to find the right one that works with your hair type.”

Find the right style? Does that mean he was going to get…a haircut? Yuya grew worried because that meant scissors are involved and he’s not a big fan of them, mostly because of how weird and painful it felt when the blades are near his skin.

“Uh… Could you not use scissors?” Yuya asked, getting nervous. “I really don’t like it when the blades are so close to my skin.”

“OF COURSE,” the robot maid said, putting down some scissors and picking up a comb and dipping it in a canister of water. “MASTER YUTO HAS THE SAME PROBLEM.”

Yuya looked back at his cousin, whose gesture said that it was true. He mentioned how the wet combs the robot maid was using helps part the hair into sections and untangles snarls and knots.

“YOUR HAIR LOOKS JUST LIKE A TOMATO,” the robot maid commented as she styled the Pendulum Duelist’s hair. “WHAT IS IT WITH KIDS THESE DAYS HAVING SALAD-BASED HAIR?”

Yuya wasn’t sure how to respond. “She was just as alarmed when she saw my hair,” Yuto clarified. He brushed a hand through his own hair. “It does look like eggplants.”

Yuya held back a laugh because of how true it is; their hairdos do resemble food, even Yugo’s banana-shaped bangs and Yuri’s old cabbage-like haircut. As a matter of fact, they were obviously not the only ones to have wacky coiffures since a lot of people in the Original Dimension have bizarre hair in terms of shapes and colors. A “what if” scenario started to form in the Performapal user’s mind and wondered how the robot maid will react if she ever met Yugi because he may be the undisputed champion of having an absurd hairstyle.

The robot maid used the comb to unwind any tangles that might have formed as the bristles glided and flowed through the strands and locks of hair while parting various sections to make sure the new look was consistently nice. Several minutes later, she completed the procedure by wrapping a hair tie around a section from behind and Yuya saw the finished results through his reflection in the mirror. It was similar to Yuri’s new haircut: pushed back with a few red and green streaks separated but flowing in the same direction as the rest of his hairdo; the only differences being there is a small ponytail and his bangs were combed back.

“Whoa…” Yuya said. “I look amazing!”

The robot maid proceeded to install something into Yuya’s Duel Disk. “THERE,” she said. “I HAVE INSTALLED A PDF OF THE HAIRSTYLE PROCEDURE SO YOU MAY TRY IT OUT YOURSELF.”

Yuya thanked the robot maid before getting off the chair to see what Yuto and Shay think. Needless to say, they both had different reactions.

“Not bad,” Shay said. “You look pretty sharp.”

Yuto smiled as he bowed. “Your highness,” he said. With him already becoming a true knight, this was his way of telling his cousin that he looks like a prince.

Yuya seemed a bit disbelieved. “Huh…?”

Yuto stood to his full height. “That hairstyle makes you look like a true prince,” he explained.

Yuya looked at his reflection once more. “Me? …A prince?”

He never thought of himself as a prince until now. With his usual hairstyle, he looked more like a soon-to-be Dueltainer, but the new style he received made him see the resemblance, as if he was the prince and Zuzu was his Cinderella.

“Zuzu…” Yuya muttered, wondering what she’ll think of his new look.

“We’re not done,” Shay said. “Now we need to work on a new suit for you.”

“What’s wrong with my dad’s old tux?” Yuya asked.

“It looks old,” Shay answered. “Trust me on this one. I grew up learning about different types of suits, so I know an old one when I see it.”

Shay directed Yuya to follow him and Yuto to the tailor room that wasn’t far from the salon room. He knew that the two cousins have the same body figure and share the same size when it comes to clothes, but it never hurts to double check; besides, not every piece of clothing were made with the same material, whether it’s fabric, silk, or polyester. Unfortunately, Yuya couldn’t tell the material apart.

“Is there really a difference?” Yuya asked, looking at the various material on the room’s shelves.

“There is,” Shay answered. “It all depends on your skin type. Since you probably have the same skin type as Yuto, you should have a silk suit.”

Poor Yuya ended up drawing a blank. “Eh… No comment?”

“I don’t really get it either,” Yuto admitted. “Luckily Shay is good at this kind of stuff.”

Before anyone knew it, another robot maid strolled her way into the tailor room to take Yuya’s measurements…right after Shay activated the protocol, of course. “Thanks Shay,” Yuya said when the Raidraptor user activated his protocol.

However, as the robot maid calculated Yuya’s measurements, she got a bit confused. “MY GOODNESS,” she said. “YOU INITIALLY APPEAR TO HAVE A SLENDER FIGURE, BUT YOUR LEGS ARE TOO BIG. WHAT KIND OF A MONSTROUS FRAME IS THIS?”

Yuya immediately knew what she meant and briefly indicated how his pants are poofier than most. “THEN I MUST ASK YOU TO TAKE THEM OFF SO I MAY RECEIVE THE CORRECT MEASUREMENTS,” the robot maid instructed.

He became a little worried on why he should take them off in front of Shay and Yuto due to his low self-esteem with his body.

“O…Okay,” Yuya said, slowly taking off his pants. “Here I go. Taking off my pants…” He gulped. “Right now…”

Yuto groaned in frustration. “Just take them off already,” he said.

“That’s what I’m doing,” Yuya said. He had finished unbuttoning and unzipping, but he was hesitant to take off his pants.

Eventually, Yuto grew fed up with his cousin not taking off his pants. It’s just three boys in one room; there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. So he walked over to Yuya and lowered his pants for him, revealing his Hip Hippo-printed boxers.

“What was that for?!” Yuya asked, embarrassed.

“It’s just Shay and me,” Yuto explained. “You shouldn’t get embarrassed.”

“THANK YOU, MASTER YUTO,” the robot maid said. “NOW I CAN GET THE RIGHT MEASUREMENTS.”

She resumed taking down measurements as she used the tape measure to determine the length and size of Yuya’s legs, much to his humiliation. He had a feeling he picked a wrong day to wear his favorite boxers.

“MY GOODNESS,” the robot maid said after a few minutes of measuring. “YOU ARE MORE SLENDER THAN MASTER YUTO.”

“But I thought we have the same body structure,” Yuya recalled.

“Not quite,” Yuto explained as he lifted the front of his t-shirt to reveal his developing six-pack.

Yuto had recently been working out not long after he moved in when he learned there was a gym on the first floor. Naturally, he admitted that the Invasion occurring at least did something good for his body: he had more muscle than his counterparts and past incarnation. However, since this was the first time Yuya found out about this, he was a bit envious of his cousin’s developing build.

“That’s… Wow…” Yuya muttered, sheepishly rubbing his thin arm.

“I used to have the exact same body as you,” Yuto explained, lowering his t-shirt. “But when the Invasion happened, I ended up developing a bit of muscle. So I appreciate you and Uncle Yusho getting a new suit for me, but it felt a bit tight on me.”

Yuya felt kind of bad about the revelation regarding the suit. He and his father have worked so hard to get that for Yuto for his LID dance do-over, but it felt tight on him this whole time? Before he could respond, the robot maid finished with the measurements.

“YOUR SUIT MEASUREMENTS ARE COMPLETE,” the robot maid reported. “THE RESULTS WILL BE FINISHED IN A FEW DAYS, SO PLEASE BE PATIENT.”

A few days? That means his suit will be ready around the time of his school dance…hopefully, _before_ the school dance. “Thanks,” the tomato-haired teen said as he put his pants back on. “I-”

“Shay, what do you think you’re doing?”

The three teens turned their heads towards the tailor room entrance, where Kameron stood there to remind his son about his hair appointment. Needless to say, Shay looked deeply ashamed.

“My apologies, father,” the older teen said. “I was helping Yuya prepare for an upcoming school dance.”

“I understand your need to help your friends, but you cannot miss any appointments,” Kameron said. “You’re going to become the head of ObsidianCorp someday, so you need to maintain your perfect image. Do you understand?”

“Yes, father,” Shay replied. But before he and Kameron left the room, Yuya stopped them.

“What’s up with that phrase?” Yuya asked. “What’s the big deal about having this ‘perfect image’? I get that you’re wealthy, but shouldn’t you relax?”

Shay clenched his fists. “Having a perfect image was always important for my sister and I,” he explained. “Obsidians always have to be absolutely perfect in everything, even after tragedy strikes. We can’t let anyone else know we suffered.”

“Anyone else?” Are they the only ones who are aware of the Invasion? Yuto explained that he and the Obsidians were in tight spots at the Kastles’ party not too long ago. The elites judged him for being a commoner and rose discussions regarding Lulu’s En Birds marking due to the Elite Duels until they revealed what happened to the siblings and they—along with their parents—need help and support in regaining their lost wealth.

“That’s why having a perfect image is so important to you?” Yuya asked, sounding a bit sad.

“We were always obsessed with having a perfect image,” Shay clarified. “The Invasion only pushed things further. It’s not about simply looking good for the general public anymore. We need to recover everything that we lost.”

“Is there anything I could do to help?” Yuya asked.

“I appreciate the concern, but that’s something we must deal with,” Kameron answered. “For now, you should worry about your school dance.”

As Kameron and Shay walked to the salon room, Yuya was left saddened by what he was told about. “He’s right,” Yuto told his cousin. “I asked the same thing, but not even I can do anything to help.”

“But there has to be something we can do!” Yuya exclaimed.

“There isn’t,” Yuto repeated, giving Yuya’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “This is something wealthy people apparently deal with on their own. They don’t need commoners to help out.”

“This still doesn’t feel right,” Yuya said. “Are you sure you want to live in this kind of environment?”

Yuto closed his eyes. “I’m doing this for her,” he answered. “For my beloved princess.” He opened his eyes. “I love her and I’ll do anything for her.”

Yuya knew exactly who he was talking about. “You’re doing this for Lulu?”

“Who else?” Yuto asked in response. “I’m still trying to figure out what my future is, but being with her feels right. I don’t think I can live without her.”

Yuya was a bit surprised. “That seems a bit extreme…” he commented.

“Need I remind you that I gave in to Zarc’s darkness when I heard Lulu’s screams?” Yuto pointed out. “I need her in my life. I absolutely adore her that much.” He further mentioned how he can’t bear to see her in pain or in danger and must do whatever it takes to protect her.

“That’s why you gave in when-” Yuya started to say, but then he noticed Yuto’s pained expression.

“I don’t like thinking about that,” Yuto confessed. “I nearly lost her that day. I can never lose her again.”

Yuya gave his cousin a reassuring smile. “It’s alright,” he said. “Besides, you helped me prepare for the school dance. The least I could do is give you support. And who knows? Maybe I could be your best man on your wedding day.”

Yuto let out a chuckle. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he said.

The two were glad to have each other and even felt content knowing how their bond grew. Their first meeting was like it happened yesterday, with them encountering Yugo shortly after that; due to their blind rage and accusations, it virtually set the stage for what was to come during and after the Interdimensional War. They never thought that they were more than just dimensional counterparts yet they easily accepted the information about them being cousins. It was kind of funny to learn how an unexpected chance encounter was actually fate all along and the heat of the moment was heavily focused on until it was finally situated.

* * *

**A Few Days Later...**

It was a peaceful day at the Obsidian residence. Due to being on a day off from his job at ObsidianCorp, Yuto was in the family gym working out. At the moment, he was doing some pull-ups to add more muscle to his arms.

After about thirty pull-ups, Orbital, the head butler, approached the Phantom Knights user. “MASTER Y-YUTO, YUYA SAKAKI IS HERE TO SEE YOU,” the robot reported.

“Bring him in,” Yuto said, not taking a break from his pull-ups.

With Orbital’s permission, Yuya entered the gym wearing a black and white suit with his hair combed back. “Yuto Osaku, you owe me big time!” he exclaimed.

Yuto, still doing push-ups, peaked at his cousin’s current attire and smirked. “Shay didn’t activate the protocol?” he asked.

“No!” Yuya responded, ruffling his hair back into its typical tomato-shaped style.

“I can tell that isn’t why you came here,” Yuto said. He let go of the pull-up bar.

“No,” Yuya said, calming down a bit. “I wanted to tell you that the dance was a hit.”

“It was?” Yuto asked. He took a sip of water from a water bottle to cool off. “Congrats.”

“You should have seen me and Zuzu!” Yuya happily said. “She was completely speechless when she saw me!”

“Did you remember to compliment her beautiful dress?” Yuto asked.

“I did,” Yuya answered. “But…” He trailed off.

“But what?” Yuto asked.

“She kinda…punched me in the arm,” Yuya sheepishly admitted, rubbing his arm.

Yuto politely muffled a small laugh. “It’s not funny!” Yuya exclaimed.

“But it is,” Yuto said. “Why would she punch you?”

“She thought I was you,” Yuya said.

“Well to be fair, we can easily impersonate each other,” Yuto pointed out. “All we need is wigs, colored contacts, and each other’s outfits.” He paused. “Oh, and some wax for Yuri.”

“Wax?” Yuya asked.

“For his eyebrows,” Yuto clarified.

Yuya blinked, a sudden image of Yuri getting his eyebrows waxed popping into his mind. He laughed at the thought.

“We also need to impersonate each other’s voices,” Yuto added.

“Oh, like you could impersonate me,” Yuya said.

“Oh really?” Yuto asked. He cleared his throat. “Hi, I’m Yuya Sakaki! I use laughter to hide my insecurities and I have two equally loving parents who aren’t dead! I also run three different archetypes in my deck, so I’m way more better than any other single-archetype Duelist!”

Yuya was taken back by that exact imitation of his voice. “I don’t sound like that!” he exclaimed.

“You do,” Yuto said, speaking back in his regular voice.

“Well since we’re impersonating each other…” Yuya said. He took a deep breath. “Greetings, you foolish peasant! I wish to card you all and possibly suck out your blood!”

Yuto chuckled. “I don’t think Yuri is a vampire,” he said.

“But he talks like one,” Yuya said, speaking back in his regular voice.

“At least I don’t sound all weird and creepy!” Yuto said, impersonating Yugo. “Now tell me where RinRin is and I’ll turn you into Clear Wing’s next chew toy!”

Yuya lost it at that point. “Don’t you mean ‘or’?” he asked as he laughed.

“Yeah, but Yugo is too dumb to care about correcting his words,” Yuto pointed out, speaking back in his regular voice. “So what’s your impersonation of me?”

“Well…” Yuya said. He cleared his throat. “I am Yuto of the Osaku family. Ever since my mother had tragically passed, I have transformed into a goth edgelord who thinks he’s an ancient knight. Now I must go find the sweet and beloved Princess Lulu of the Obsidian family.”

Yuto chuckled. “I am not a goth edgelord,” he corrected. “I was always naturally drawn towards darkness.”

“You wore studded wristbands, a dog collar, and a ragged cape,” Yuya pointed out, speaking back in his regular voice.

“To look more knightly,” Yuto explained.

“Whatever,” Yuya said. “So can you help me get my clothes back?”

“Sure,” Yuto replied. He was going to have to talk to Shay about fixing his custom protocol afterwards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That last bit was a reference to how all four Yu-Salad Boys are voiced by one person in the dub.


End file.
